ROCHE BROS. DEBUTS PRODUCE STANDS IN BOSTON'S DOWNTOWN CROSSING

Roche Bros., a family-owned chain of full-service supermarkets, is opening its seasonal outdoor stands at 10 Summer Street in Downtown Crossing just in time for the fall season. Beginning today, the grocer is setting up five fresh produce stands outside the historic Millennium Tower/Burnham Building where construction is currently underway on the company’s 25,000 square-foot flagship supermarket.

The open-air offerings are scheduled to operate seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The produce stands will primarily feature fresh fruits, as well as some vegetables, flowers, and seasonal baked goods. The Roche Bros. team will keep the stands open through October.

“We are so proud to be a part of revitalizing Downtown Crossing, and we couldn’t wait to be an active part of this dynamic urban neighborhood,” said Gary Pfeil, president of Roche Bros. “We are excited to have a presence in Downtown Boston and to introduce ourselves to the neighborhood ahead of our opening this spring.”

Construction for the Roche Bros. Downtown Crossing grocery store began in late June. The full retail store located inside the renovated Burnham Building is expected to open in early spring 2015. This is the first large-scale grocery store to be built in Boston’s Downtown Crossing. It will feature 3,000 square feet of street level retail and 22,000 square feet in the historic Filene’s Basement.

“We are excited for this preview of the newest member of the Downtown Boston neighborhood,” said Rosemarie Sansone, president of the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District (BID). “The introduction of the Roche Bros. produce stand is a visible sign of the metamorphosis toward truly being a 24-hour neighborhood, and once the store is complete, will offer a valuable service to all those who live in and pass through the district each day.”

The Burnham Building, soon-to-be home to the new Roche Bros. flagship store, was originally completed in 1912 for Filene’s Department Store and is the only structure in Boston designed by legendary Chicago architect Daniel Burnham.